SHORT STORY SUMMARY TITLE: “The Cask of Amontillado” AUTHOR: Edgar Allan Poe SETTING (Time and Place): Italy, late 1700’s-early 1800’s during Carnival

CHARACTERS (List and describe on separate lines): Fortunato – drunk, wealthy, respected, feared, has a bad cold, wine expert, prideful, stubborn, insulted Montresor Montresor – deceptive, wants revenge against Fortunato, wealthy, cunning, devious, his family’s coat of arms is a foot crushing a snake

SUMMARY: Montresor has been insulted by Fortunato and vows to get revenge without suffering from harm or punishment. He finds Fortunato at Carnival, who has been drinking, and entices him to follow him home and verify the contents of a cask of rare wine.

Summary continued He shackles him to a wall in the family catacombs and builds a wall around him leaving him to die.

POINT OF VIEW: This short story is told from the first person point of view. Montresor tells the story 50 years later.

Conflict Internal – Montresor vs. himself - He can’t forgive the insult External – Montresor vs. Fortunato - Montresor wants revenge and leaves Fortunato to die in the catacombs of his house

SYMBOLS Bells –happiness/Carnival/foolishness End of bells ringing – death, Death toll Montresor crest and motto – killing the enemy that attacks the family

Symbols continued… Amontillado – trickery, deception, lure, pride, weakness Trowel – helps in the construction of Fortuanto’s tomb

THEME 1. Revenge is sweet. 2. Be careful of what you say and who you offend. 3. What goes around comes around (Karma).

Other Literary Elements Flashback – The narrator is telling the story after 50 years has passed. Foreshadowing – Family crest and motto, “I shall not die of a cough”, toast to a long life.

Other Literary Elements cont’d Mood –dark, dreary, damp, death Verbal Irony – “luckily met’, “man to be missed” “rest in peace,” “toast to a long life” Irony – the name Fortunato (fortunate)

PLOT DEVELOPMENT CHART EXPOSITION: Meet Narrator, Montresor, learn he has something against Fortunato and vows revenge NARRATIVE HOOK: Fortunato agrees to follow Montresor to the vault.

Plot Development Chart… RISING ACTION: Montresor lures Fortunato deeper into the catacombs, taunting him and teasing him the entire time without Fortunato being aware. CLIMAX: Montresor chains Fortunato to the wall and begins to build up a wall around him.

Plot Development Chart… FALLING ACTION: Montresor gets a cold chill after hearing bells. Fortunato does not reply. RESOLUTION: 50 years later, Fortunato’s bones are untouched. Montresor is still around to tell the story.

QUOTATION INTERPRETATION: Quote – “A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.”

Quote Interpretation … In your own words, explain what this quote means to you – A person that spends all of his time thinking about and trying to get revenge will keep the hurt fresh in his mind. “Green” meaning new, fresh young.

Quote Interpretation … How does this quote relate to the story you just read? Montresor was able to get revenge without being caught or punished, but was he ever able to forget or forgive what Fortunato did?

Quote Interpretation … State one literary element–Flashback- The narrator tells the story in the form of a flashback. The retelling of the story 50 years later may suggest he regrets some of his actions and decisions, or it might suggest he is still proud of the fact that he got away with it.